Ian Karusigarira (PhD Candidate, Peace and Conflict Studies - TUFS) presented a paper at the first Conference of Japan Society for Afrasian Studies (JSAS).

His presantation title is "The Effect of State Corruption and Neo-Patrimonialism on the Political Development: Reassessing Uganda's Revolutionary Politics." You can see the abstract from here.

Here is his brief report about the conference.

Kansai University - Asian and African Studies Group (AASG) hosted the 1st Conference of Japan Society for Afrasian Studies (JSAS) on the 6th of October 2018 themed Navigating Afro-Asian Studies. Supported by TUFS- ASC, I was a lucky participant in the historic event that attracted both Asian (Japanese being the majority) and African academicians interested in political economy and African societies in general.

The motivation (as derived from the brains behind the formation of JSAS) was among others: First, providing the platform for both African and Japanese students to make academic presentations for knowledge exchange. The rationale was that, there is limited opportunity for African University students and researchers to express their academic thoughts/ researches in Japan and in collaboration with Japanese Africanists because of language barrier; Second, providing the needed bridge to connect the African students with Japanese academic network as the opportunity for Japanese academia to profit from lived realities of African students who may have a rich access to the real issues in Africa. Where the African students seem to have insufficient analysis of reality or biased, then the Japanese academia was assumed to engage in constructive debates. Third, to encourage joint academic writing through JSAS' network in English since the African academia may not be able to learn the Japanese language for academic writing in a very short time of their graduate studies. Put differently, JSAS president emphasized the interdependence between Asian Africanists and African academia in Japan.

Social experience in Osaka was worth the time particularly the friendliness of Osaka people, the rich and delicious food among others.